They get really tall, around here anyway, we all stop picking around July 4 so the plants will have time to build up for the winter. The ferns get 5 ft tall and so feathery and pretty. All the ditches are loaded with them. I like to mark down new spots that I didnt notice last year since its so easy to spto them once they get that tall
I planted 2 year old crowns this year, and just let them fern out. Do I just let them die off when it frosts, or should I cut them back? I am SOOOO looking forward to next spring.
Either way. Once they are all brown, they really aren't doing anything for the root any longer.
Last fall, after I cleaned up the ferns, I piled on some cleanings from the chicken coop, chips and all. I figured that although the manure was green it would have all winter to break down, (as well the chips in the process of composting draw large quantitys of nitrogen). This year my plants did very well, with a bonus of nice size spears, I was harvesting some right into August, which I never had in the past. The chips seemed to really help keep the weeds down around the plants as well..
